Dawson Pendergrass. (Baylor Athletics)

WACO — Ever since Dawson Pendergrass arrived on campus two years ago, nothing about Baylor has stayed consistent.

He was a third-string option as a true freshman under Jeff Grimes’ run-heavy wide zone scheme.

When Jake Spavital brought his up-tempo offense to Waco ahead of last season and the Bears added Khenon Hall to coach the running backs, it forced Pendergrass to adapt once again as he continued to climb the depth chart.

“He was learning me, I was learning him; he’s trusting me, I’m trusting him,” Hall said. “It just took time for us to find our relationship where that trust factor for us is going both ways. And understanding, I trust you, you trust me, go in there and execute.”

Adapting is what Pendergrass has been doing for his entire football career.

Growing up in the small town of Alba — population 499 — he did a little bit of everything at Mineola High School, playing mainly linebacker and receiver but also spending time as a safety, quarterback and running back.

So when he finished last season with 671 yards and six touchdowns, he wasn’t surprised.

“I knew I always had it in me, it just took some motivation,” Pendergrass said.

The Baylor running back depth chart is clearly defined, with Bryson Washington, who is coming off the best season for a freshman running back in Baylor history, serving as the unquestioned lead back.

Pendergrass is the lightning to Washington’s thunder.

The pair were one of the backfield duos in the country to have a 1,000-yard rusher (Washington) and a 600-yard rusher (Pendergrass) in the same backfield last season.

“It’s kind of a brotherhood,” Pendergrass said. “Our whole room is a brotherhood, but it’s just little things like I’ll be sitting behind him watching him. If I see something he did that I think he could do better, I’ll tell him, and vice versa.”

Pendergrass averaged seven carries per game last season, while Washington averaged more than double that.

While Washington added muscle and hopes to have the kind of season that can get him a look in next year’s NFL draft, Pendergrass also got bigger, adding 15 pounds of muscle in the offseason.

He hasn’t lost any of his speed and he also feels the heightened expectations.

“I also feel like we have those expectations for ourselves,” Pendergrass said. “Coach Hall always brings up a great point, that you always get better or you get worse, but you never stay the same. That’s kind of what we’re living by. We’re just pushing each other.”

With Dominic Richardson and Richard Reese both transferring out, the depth in the running back room behind Pendergrass and Washington is a bit of a concern.

Redshirt freshman Joseph Dodds missed all of last season with an injury, and the Bears brought in four-star high school prospects Michael Turner from Richland Hills and Caden Knighten from Pauls Valley, Oklahoma.

Hall said there isn’t a sure-fire No. 3 on the depth chart just yet.

“They’ve got the will to do it,” Hall said. “All of them are built the right way. They’ve got the right mindset and they’re physical. They check all the boxes of what you’re looking for in a running back. Those guys are going to fight it out.”

Pendergrass, who is the most experienced running back of the group with two full seasons under his belt, stands out as a huge piece of the running back puzzle.

Hall said leadership comes from the top down, and that the normally quiet and understated Pendergrass has continued to become more of a vocal leader to the freshmen throughout the spring.

Pendergrass said he’s seen nothing but hard work from the next generation of Baylor running backs and that they have accepted coaching from both him and Washington.

Even if it was a little out of his comfort zone.

“It’s kind of weird being one of the oldest guys in the room now,” he said.

“I’m used to being the young buck. But I’ve got to lead the freshmen the right way and make sure they’re doing everything right and stay on them.”